


Boy Next Door

by kenbubbles



Category: VIXX
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 05:53:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14538087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenbubbles/pseuds/kenbubbles
Summary: Taekwoon in 301 and Jaehwan in 302 do not like each other. Yet they are constantly around one another. Inspired by the web drama of the same name.





	Boy Next Door

**Author's Note:**

> Written for 2018 Wind of Starlight Exchange. My req was Vixx rom-com. I may write more to this in the future. Was cute.

Jung Taekwoon, junior in the music department, tenant of apartment 301. Lee Jaehwan, sophomore in the fine arts department, tenant of apartment 302. Both have lived in the same complex for a year before they meet. Taekwoon stepping out of 301 in a gray and white striped shirt. Jaehwan stepping out of 302 in the exact same shirt. They look each other up and down, sigh and enter their rooms both thinking the same thing _for some reason, I don’t like that guy_.

Jung Taekwoon doesn’t change his shirt. 

Lee Jaehwan likes to play computer games. Taekwoon knows that because he’s heard him cursing at Hanzo trash. Promising death to some guy named Lee Hongbin loud enough that astronauts on the moon would hear him. Taekwoon has been working on the same composition for the last four hours. Jaehwan’s gaming is only getting louder. How the landlord hasn’t complained is beyond him.

Usually Hakyeon from 303 will throw a shoe at the wall and that’s the end but Taekwoon heard he hooked up with Wonsik from 205. They’ll probably be living together soon. Sanghyuk from 204 gives Jaehwan all the gossip. He’s the only reason Taekwoon ever knows what day it is. He appears every Wednesday night for anime marathons and chicken. 

Taekwoon has never been invited. He doesn’t care. He really doesn’t care that Lee Jaehwan has been dropping hints to Sanghyuk for two months now.

Taekwoon comes out of 301 every evening at 5pm on the dot to smoke a cigarette. Unfortunately this is also the time Jaehwan has a smoke. The two of them sharing the same abandoned can as an ashtray.

Hakyeon told Taekwoon he needs to make friends, that he can’t depend on him forever. He takes a drag of the cigarette as he thinks about how to start a conversation with Lee Jaehwan. It takes him two weeks to say something.

“Hi.” Jaehwan doesn’t acknowledge him but he tries again the next day. He gets a small nod of the head for his spectacular greeting.

It continues that way, Taekwoon unable to say more than hi for another week. It’s hard to speak to Jaehwan, which is shocking considering how loud the younger man is. Taekwoon hears all sorts of conversations from 302. The most uncomfortable one when Jaehwan complains to Sanghyuk about how he’s sure his neighbor is a serial killer or a vampire. He looks down into his cup of fruit punch as Jaehwan proclaims Taekwoon wants his blood.

“We should get a drink.” Taekwoon enjoys drinking but he’s a lightweight. This is a time where he should ignore Hakyeon’s advice that drinks or food help people get closer. “Or chicken.”

“Mhm. How about next time?” Jaehwan’s voice is much nicer without a wall muffling it between them. It takes Taekwoon a moment to respond. He reminds himself he doesn’t like this guy, he’s only trying to make friends to get peace. Jaehwan’s big nose is not cute. Neither are his big eyes.

“Yeah, next time.”

It’s a month before next time comes, they’re both on break from classes by then. Taekwoon pokes at the meat on the grill, it’s taking too long to prepare. He’s asked Jaehwan about three times what his major is. Doesn’t know what else he can say.

“Um.. do you like it with garlic?” The question shouldn’t excite Taekwoon so much but it does. Jaehwan is making the effort to start a conversation now. Taekwoon is bad at speaking with others, even worse at being the one to initiate but Hakyeon’s not available to treat him to meals anymore. He’s the hyung here and he has to act like it.

He opens his mouth to answer but Jaehwan is suddenly waving someone over, Sanghyuk. He’s a lot bigger than Taekwoon remembers. He knew his name was Sanghyuk but not that it was Han Sanghyuk. The kid he tutored a few years back that kissed him. Sanghyuk had gotten a tongue in his mouth before Taekwoon could react. Sanghyuk had been just a month from eighteen. Taekwoon was much too old for him but he wasn’t prepared for how experienced and persistent the kid was.

Han Sanghyuk was Sanghyuk from 204. Sanghyuk that Jaehwan had a crush on. Han Sanghyuk that took all Taekwoon’s firsts and still made him wake up feeling lonely some nights.

“Join us.” But Han Sanghyuk was familiar. Taekwoon needed the familiarity even if it made him want to drink all the soju in the bar grill they’d chosen to have a meal.

“Can’t. Came with someone.” He gestured to a guy with eyes bigger than Jaehwan’s and cute dimples that were working a free drink out of the waitress. Jaehwan looked as if someone had told him his puppy had died. 

“Ahjumma, more soju and beer.” Taekwoon was going to regret it but Jaehwan’s grateful smile was worth the pain he’d soon be experiencing.

Taekwoon can’t recall how he got home. His senses muddled with the smell of clean soap, berries and white musk. He’d had his face buried against someone’s neck. The night is a blur after the first soju bomb. He’s not sure what wakes him up either. It could be the smoke alarm going off, the pounding on his door or the smoke he’s inhaled.

He coughs as he stumbles through the smoke, unable to tell where it’s coming from. The door knob isn’t hot when he turns it and he falls out onto the outdoor walkway. Firefighters are running up the stairs.

“Taekwoon!” Jaehwan is standing in a Tony Chopper kigurumi. He must have inhaled too much smoke because he finds it adorable. “You’re okay.” Jaehwan’s arms are suddenly around him as the firefighters move past them with the landlord in tow. 

It doesn’t take long for the fire to be put out but Taekwoon’s apartment is inhabitable. The source of the fire is ramen left unattended on the stove. Taekwoon hadn’t taken it out of the plastic to cook it, simply tossed it into the pot with not enough water. He was lucky the flames didn’t go past the kitchen.

“Since you two are close, Taekwoon can stay with you in 302 while repairs are being done to 301.” Taekwoon wanted to argue that they weren’t close but he felt Jaehwan was responsible for the incident. He’d drank to comfort Jaehwan. He wouldn’t have been in the state to set fire to his own kitchen if he hadn’t done that.

“Oh I don’t know if that’s…”

“Ok. That will be fine. Can I grab some of my things?” Taekwoon left Jaehwan standing there dumbfounded as he entered the apartment to gather necessities. A firefighter assisting so Taekwoon would avoid any areas with structural damage.

The lay out of Jaehwan’s apartment was identical to his own. A small entryway leading to a sitting area, bathroom to the right of it and bedroom to the left, kitchen at the back in a room that might as well have been a closet. It would be easy to navigate if there weren’t food wrappers, dirty dishes and laundry strewn all over the place. 

Taekwoon can’t live in such a state. Jaehwan doesn’t understand and takes a seat at his computer desk. There are candy wrappers under it and used tissues all around it. Taekwoon wonders if Jaehwan has a chronically runny nose as he searches for cleaning supplies. There aren’t any available.

Jaehwan makes no reaction when Taekwoon leaves to purchase rubber gloves, a bucket, broom, dustpan, mop, sponge and Mr. Clean. Taekwoon rolls back his sleeves, if he’s going to be living here it needs to be clean. He isn’t a neat freak but no one should live in a garbage dump.

Taekwoon first piles the laundry, puts the wrappers in garbage bags. Soaks dishes that have become stuck together. The bathroom might as well be a biohazard but he scrubs everything in there. 

“Wash your clothes.” Jaehwan grunts in response. The building has a few laundry units in the basement. Taekwoon finds coins for it on a dusty bookshelf full of manga. He walks out with a pile of Jaehwan’s clothes, mostly bright t-shirts and far too big sweaters.

When he returns Jaehwan is still in the same spot, one foot on the edge of his mesh computer chair and the other reaching for a half eaten kit kat under the desk. Taekwoon quickly kneels down to take it away and toss it in the trash. He gathers all the tissues.

“Do you have allergies?” Jaehwan doesn’t reply but the tips of his ears turn red, Taekwoon doesn’t get it. 

Four hours pass with Taekwoon moving back and forth, the apartment is spotless by the time he’s done. He’s organized the manga collection, put away the dishes in previously unused cabinets and neatly folded Jaehwan’s clothes to stack them in the wall built in wardrobe. It feels more like his place but that eye sore of a computer desk in the corner reminds him it’s not.

Sweat is dripping down his back, his armpits are foul and his underwear is sticking to him. It’s the best time to shower in the bathroom he left smelling of clean linen. 

He doubts Jaehwan has showered at all today but he’s not going to act any more like his mother than he already has. If Jaehwan wants to rot away in front of a computer that’s his problem. 

Taekwoon hadn’t grabbed his own bathroom items beyond a towel when he cleared out of his apartment. There was no possibility of going back into 301 to get them. The landlord had added a padlock to keep anyone but the repair men out. He stares at Jaehwan’s bar of white soap like it might eat him. The brand name has worn off, so Jaehwan does actually shower sometimes.

Taking a deep breath Taekwoon wraps his long fingers around the soap. It must be some boutique soap, it smells of berries and white musk. The alluring scent he’d inhaled that night he had one soju bomb. He’s starting to feel a stirring where he shouldn’t when the door opens.

“Hyung, I’ll wash your back. Let’s save water.” Jaehwan that barely humored his attempts at conversations is naked in the shower with him. Smiling at him wide as if this is the most normal behavior in the world. Taekwoon is too shocked to do more than nod as Jaehwan takes the soap from his hand. “Oh wow, Taekwoonie-hyung is so pale. So pretty.”

Taekwoon recalls conversations through the walls where Sanghyuk laughed at Jaehwan for saying vampires are sexy. Jaehwan had looked so sad when Sanghyuk left the night they were drinking to be with his boyfriend. Jaehwan never finished his cigarettes when they were smoking on the walkway. He tossed them away as soon as Taekwoon was done.

His entire body tenses as Jaehwan’s hand runs down his back. Taekwoon barely feels the soap that remains on his skin after the touch. Jaehwan’s hands are so warm and they keep touching him. 

“You…” Taekwoon turns slowly to look at Jaehwan. This feels like episode ten of the dramas he loves to watch. Jaehwan is looking at him the exact same way the lead male looks at his leading lady when he’s about to kiss her. “You can’t kiss me in the shower!”

“Hyung, you ruined the moment. Damn it, all that build up. You’re really dense. It’s cute.”

“Did you set my apartment on fire?”

“No! You did that. It did further my plan though. Thanks for being a terrible drunk.” Taekwoon should be offended when Jaehwan pokes his nose but he’s not. He thought all this time Jaehwan didn’t like him, that he didn’t like Jaehwan, but they’re standing in a shower together and romantic music is playing in the background.

“Where is that music coming from?”

“It’s mood music.” 

“You’re an idiot.” Taekwoon didn’t like Jaehwan from 302. Taekwoon found Jaehwan from 302 annoying. Jaehwan from 302 was loud played video games all day and didn’t clean up after himself. Jaehwan from 302 had the softest lips Taekwoon had ever felt against his own. Demanding, plush and sweet was the perfect way to describe a kiss from Jaehwan.


End file.
